THE LOVELY PUBLIC
SCHANDE
BATTLEHOOCH
The Rickshaw Stop
Oct. 3, 2007

DJ Radio Randone was kickin out the jams all night long, spanning genres from hip hop to techno to rock and reaching across the decades to get the party started.

And of course the bands were incredible. As Olivia welcomed the eager throng to the show and then announced the first band, Battlehooch, an almighty ruckus suddenly erupted in the vicinity of Rickshaw Stop’s front door. It was the men of Battlehooch, forming a runaway train of percussion including an assortment of drums as well as pots and pans. They chanted and banged their way to the stage, and that’s when they really let loose. ...

THE LOVELY PUBLIC
SCHANDE
BATTLEHOOCH
The Rickshaw Stop
Oct. 3, 2007

DJ Radio Randone was kickin out the jams all night long, spanning genres from hip hop to techno to rock and reaching across the decades to get the party started.

And of course the bands were incredible. As Olivia welcomed the eager throng to the show and then announced the first band, Battlehooch, an almighty ruckus suddenly erupted in the vicinity of Rickshaw Stop’s front door. It was the men of Battlehooch, forming a runaway train of percussion including an assortment of drums as well as pots and pans. They chanted and banged their way to the stage, and that’s when they really let loose.

Battlehooch is a six-man riot of snotty garage rock and jammy Latin rock. There were plenty of horns going on, adding the Latin flavor, lots of buzzing guitar riffs and extended solos, and a whole lot of groovy jams. Battlehooch keeps the energy up, which was good because there was a big crowd in front of them and that crowd was itching to move, by god.

Schande hit the stage next and took the show to a whole new level, at times mellowing the tone out considerably and at other times reaching powerful crescendos. They played a handful of selections off of their album I Scored an Ocean, and singer/guitarist Jen Chochinov’s voice was as smooth, melodic, and endearing as ever. They played a few newer tunes, too, which allowed lead guitarist Will Cline to show off some of his noisier chops.

Headliner The Lovely Public also played a number of familiar and new tunes. The songs that they played from their album Burning Tape at the Mystery Dinner sounded as deeply nuanced as they do on the recording: multiple guitar and bass parts playing off of eachother, keyboard flourishes suggesting whole new dimensions, and drums that keep it all moving along at just the right speed. The band also played a slew of new songs that show the band developing their sound to include higher highs and lower lows. (Incidentally, it was also announced that keyboardist/guitarist Chris is leaving soon, so check the classic lineup out while you still can!)

The night benefited Feministing.com, a local feminist blog and always a good read. Special thanks must go to DJ Radio Randone as the eclectic crowd at the show was not necessarily made up of all rock-lovers, yet he managed to play something for everyone. A good time was had by all and many hundreds of dollars were raised for yet another great cause.

Keep checking the site for the next benefit show!

[Mike G.]

[STREAM] The Lovely Public: Various Tracks  

[STREAM] Schande: "The Revolution Wears Fairy Wings"  

[STREAM] Battlehooch: Various Tracks  

FRENCH MIAMI
Edinburgh Castle
Sept. 5, 2007

There was a flood of bodies exiting the upstairs music hall as I entered the Edinburgh Castle. I had arrived just after Here Here finished their set. I've never heard of Here Here, but I'm told they are similar in instrumentation and theatricality to the Arcade Fire. ...

FRENCH MIAMI
Edinburgh Castle
Sept. 5, 2007

There was a flood of bodies exiting the upstairs music hall as I entered the Edinburgh Castle. I had arrived just after Here Here finished their set. I've never heard of Here Here, but I'm told they are similar in instrumentation and theatricality to the Arcade Fire.

The band I went to see, French Miami, told me later that Here Here did not seem to be a good fit with them stylistically. The French Miami sound is driving and melodic, with plenty of discordant tones and a gruff indie vocalist. Their strong show Friday night built intensity from a thoughtful instrumental opening piece in which the band generated a strange wall of noise, to moments of sheer rock n'roll excitement.

The French Miami players are a tight musical unit. Their songwriting allows for huge guitar and synth hooks, while maintaining the song's emotional thread, and never devolves into a wank fest. These guys have serious chops but even better taste, and their skills on the frets are put to understated yet effective use. The singer is a died-in-the-wool rock n'roller and he owns the stage with his aggressive singing and very physical keyboard and baritone guitar playing. The snappy guitar playing in the highest register was precise and nasty as the needle on a sewing machine. With backup from the synthetic rumble of the keyboard bass lines and agro-pop drumming, French Miami produced a full and thrilling sound.

[Jeff Bissell]

[STREAM] French Miami: "Shitty Disco Odyssey"  

OVIPOSITOR
Pirate Flag at Half-Mast
(2007: self-released)

I don't dislike Ovipostitor, I just feel kind of cheated listening to their album Pirate Flag at Half-Mast. Had I never heard of The Fall, Buzzcocks, Pavement, Beulah, or Sonic Youth, I would absolutely love them.

The problem I have with Ovipositor is that instead of taking cues from their influences to build something of their own they  come out sounding like little more than a tribute to their favorite bands on Pirate Flag. The album's second track, "Dinker Dance," could also be titled "I Love Slanted & Enchanted," while the album's fifth track, "Ronnie & Chad," sounds like a lot of your favorite Fall songs all mashed together (musically, that is). Lyrically, an odd, even slightly contrived-sounding story is woven throughout Pirate Flag, leaving me wishing the band wouldn't try so hard to be quirky. ...

OVIPOSITOR
Pirate Flag at Half-Mast
(2007: self-released)

I don't dislike Ovipostitor, I just feel kind of cheated listening to their album Pirate Flag at Half-Mast. Had I never heard of The Fall, Buzzcocks, Pavement, Beulah, or Sonic Youth, I would absolutely love them.

The problem I have with Ovipositor is that instead of taking cues from their influences to build something of their own they  come out sounding like little more than a tribute to their favorite bands on Pirate Flag. The album's second track, "Dinker Dance," could also be titled "I Love Slanted & Enchanted," while the album's fifth track, "Ronnie & Chad," sounds like a lot of your favorite Fall songs all mashed together (musically, that is). Lyrically, an odd, even slightly contrived-sounding story is woven throughout Pirate Flag, leaving me wishing the band wouldn't try so hard to be quirky.

I spent the entire time that I listened to this record going, "Oh my god, what
song is that? I know I've heard it before… It sounds just like..." I actually wasn't able to give the songs my full, undivided attention because I was too busy trying to think of what songs by other artists Ovipositor's songs sound like. 

Had this band been billed as an homage to Indie and Punk Rock's pioneers, I would have given the record an 8 out of 10. For, to be fair, the songs on Pirate Flag aren't bad - they are a good listen. It's just that you've heard them before, and a few times over at that.

I would like to add, though, that I'll bet Ovipositor put on a great live show.

[Jen Chochinov]

[STREAM] Ovipositor: "Duck is Down"
 

Bill Callahan
The Independent
Oct. 7, 2007
 
Bill Callahan, the artist formerly known as Smog, had his specific "I don't know what" working at the Independent. His voice was as deep as a well, and sometimes he got down on his knees, closed his eyes, and strummed his guitar like he was sending a prayer out to the audience. I guess depth is the operative word to describe Callahan and his performance. He was in deep form.
Callahan was still wearing the gray business/casual suit he had on during his afternoon show at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, and his standup drummer, Thor Harris, was still rocking a Viking's mullet. The two, along with a fiddle and bass player, ambled through an hour and forty minute set that included a crowd-silencing version of "Rock Bottom Riser." The song came midway through the set, as the band was settling into a meditative groove. The drunk guy who kept yelling at Callahan to "Break some horses!" shut up, and a last bottle clanked at the bar in the back. Grooves were forged into Callahan's face as he sang "I am uh rah ock bah dum  ri zer..."   ...

Bill Callahan
The Independent
Oct. 7, 2007
 
Bill Callahan, the artist formerly known as Smog, had his specific "I don't know what" working at the Independent. His voice was as deep as a well, and sometimes he got down on his knees, closed his eyes, and strummed his guitar like he was sending a prayer out to the audience. I guess depth is the operative word to describe Callahan and his performance. He was in deep form.
Callahan was still wearing the gray business/casual suit he had on during his afternoon show at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, and his standup drummer, Thor Harris, was still rocking a Viking's mullet. The two, along with a fiddle and bass player, ambled through an hour and forty minute set that included a crowd-silencing version of "Rock Bottom Riser." The song came midway through the set, as the band was settling into a meditative groove. The drunk guy who kept yelling at Callahan to "Break some horses!" shut up, and a last bottle clanked at the bar in the back. Grooves were forged into Callahan's face as he sang "I am uh rah ock bah dum  ri zer..."  

Despite the fathoms of soul that came up through Callahan's throat during songs like "River Guard" and "Let Me See the Colts," he finished with "Prince Alone In the Studio," a song that imagines Prince working so intensely on a song that his groupies go home at 2am, neglected and with wet panties. This is funny on paper, but the song's stone-serious minor-key offsets all the goofy Prince imagery. I was left feeling strangely sad for those poor girls who "thought they were going to have sex with him" and "wore their special underwear." With Callahan, even Prince is profound.

 [Nathan Ladd]

[STREAM] Bill Callahan/Smog: "Rock Bottom Riser"

THE PASSIONISTAS
God's Boat
(2007: New and Used Records)

Some of the best rocknroll could be credited to people that wouldn't be considered "musicians" in any traditional sense. The Velvet Underground, Richard Hell, and The Modern Lovers all exceeded years ago, not despite any lack of musicianship (and some of them were trained musicians), but because they said "To hell with all of that" and instead tried to capture the essence of cathartic abandon. ...